A crowd gathered in the auditorium of the WGBH studios in Brighton on Saturday, Dec. 15 for a 35-minute preview to season three of Downton Abbey, which airs on January 6. Gareth Neame, the executive producer for the show, as well as two of the actors, Hugh Bonneville and Rob James-Collier, and Rebecca Eaton, the executive producer of Masterpiece Theater were at the event, answering questions and taking pictures with the fans.

The actors answered questions from the audience about the show and about themselves. Several questions revolved around James-Collier’s character, Thomas Barrow, who is a “villain” in the show but will apparently be showing another side of himself during the upcoming season. At one point, Bonneville, who plays Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, vehemently stuck up for James-Collier’s character although they don’t get along in the show.

From left: Neame, Bonneville, James-Collier, and Eaton.

More than 200 people attended the event, said WGBH representative Regina Daley. It was open to members of the Ralph Lowell Society who support the public broadcaster with donations of at least $1,500.

An audience member asked a question of the actors.

Mary and Monroe Brady, of Jamaica Plain,said they have been watching the show for more than two years. “We have a ritual” of preparing for the show when it airs, Mary Brady said.

“We loved it,” said Linda Black, of Cambridge, with Lisa Fish of Newton, and Gail Schechter of Chestnut Hill (left to right). “It was very exciting to see the characters as themselves,” Schechter said.

“I made sure to get tickets as soon as possible,” said Milton resident Michelle Shell (left), who attended the event with her friend, Nicole Gilmore of Lexington. “I think that they’re the most masterful storytellers,” Shell said.

“The turns of the plot happen in such a short amount of time,” said Nancy Rubenstein of Newburyport (center). She discussed the episode with Amesbury resident Ann Olmstead (left) and Jessica Laniewski of Boston (right).

After watching the sneak peak, Dorothy and John Mackeen of Maynard said they expect to get to seeing what happens to some of the characters. “We really look forward to them changing,” this season, Dorothy said.

“We knew it was 35 minutes but we wanted it to continue,” said Francis Chin, who attended the event with his wife, Wai Jit Chin. “It was really engaging. They threw us back into the stories of these characters,” he said.

When asked if they could stand to wait until Jan. 6 for the first episode of season three to start, Malden resident Carol Niemira (left) said “We don’t have a choice.” Her friend, Allison Looney, of Milton (right), said of the show: “It’s a soap opera but because of the big sets and authentic costumes,you don’t feel cheesy watching it.”

Adele Ervin of Manchester by the Sea laughed as she and her friend, Carold Gray (center right) of Gloucester posed with the actors. “The earl looks just like he does in the show,” she said. James-Collier is “quite cute. It’s going to be hard to hate him” in the show now that they’ve met, she said.

“I got into it because of my mom,” said 13-year-old Caroline Coolidge (right). She attended the event with her friend, Rowan Wheeler (left), and her mother, Lindsay Coolidge.

Lucy Boyle of Newton posed with her niece, Alicia Boyle of Cambridge and Rebecca Eaton. “Thirty-five minutes is a real tease,” she said.